Mirai Nagasu Cheer thread: Return to Olympus

[Frida80]

I read on Twitter after the first The Ice show that Mirai skated her Wicked ex and did a triple flip-triple toe, triple lutz, and triple loop, I did see the reference to a "sp" by someone else on Twitter after the second show, but I was thinking it still referred to the Wicked program, since I'd only see pictures of her in that dress so far. I guess we will know soon enough.

That Olympic Channel segment was pretty ridiculous, it makes it sounds like Mirai took this big break and now "is back", when her break (from the gp season) hasn't even happened yet. Maybe she has been in the rink less, but we've definitely seen her post clips of herself jumping in the last few months. I think that the interviewer specifically asked about her triple axel, so Mirai's answer makes sense...especially if she hasn't firmly decided whether she wants to retire yet. But honestly, Mirai also seems like the type who would still want to train the triple axel even if she never skates competitively again, to do it in a show or something. She was attempting it in every show last year on The Ice, and did it at Kristi's show. It's a shame that the system doesn't really incentivize the triple axel for women more imo.

On The Skating Lesson recently, Dave talked about going to the Westchester Ice Dreams show, and spoke a bit about Mirai's performance (he said that she skated her Wicked program and that the program itself was "a clusterf*ck", but that she did three triples and he thought that she looked the best, and that there is speculation that she may show up at nationals, since she is still working with Tom Z).

Thank you for reminding me why I never watch skating lesson. Yeesh...

 

[Spun Silver]

I would assume that if she's still working 3/3 regularly, odds are pretty good she'll be at Nats.

Maybe, but show standards are very high in Japan, plus Mirai is now an Olympic bronze medalist. She may just want to uphold her reputation. But my fingers are crossed for her return to competition.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

I will miss Mirai on competitive ice. And I am ready if she announces, at some point, her official retirement. ??? I have much love for this girl! ? That being said, I am beyond delighted that so many opportunitie$ are coming her way! Well deserved and IMO this will go on for years if she (and her agent!) play their cards right! If anyone deserves it, after so many letdowns, including no love whatsoever from her own federation, it's Mirai! That's the way to stick it to the haters! From her Instagram, she seems to be having tons of fun too in Japan! Enjoy the post-Olympic ride Mirai! ?And the Perk$! ?

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Forgot to say that it really ticks me off that Mirai was 'encouraged' by the producers of DWTS to trash talk against Adam! It may have cost her some votes! IMO the competition was rigged against her from the start! ? End of rant. On to the next Mirai! ????

 

[savchenkoboss]

Mirai and Adam are good friends. She would never just thrash him.

 

[bardtoob]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmE0_B4naPI/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=b3553zjxmhor

Mirai with Zagitova ... Both are very pretty.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Mirai and Adam are good friends. She would never just thrash him.

I did not say that Mirai would 'just thrash' Adam. And as a huge fan of both Mirai and Adam I am very much aware that they are good friends. But interviews Mirai herself stated that she was ENCOURAGED by the producers of DWTS to do so!

 

[rosewood]

On the THE ICE thread @YukiNieve posted a report from Nagoya show and she said Mirai's program was introduced as her new short program. She thinks it was Cher's Bang Bang. It made me more confused about which music(s) Mirai is using for her new SP.
https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-5-in-aichi-nagoya-japan.104199/#post-5392745

We are not sure about the music yet but anyways I think I can safe to say that Mirai has a new competitive program!

 

[GullyGirl84]

It’s too bad that Mirai didn’t make The Ice broadcast, because now I’m curious about the sp. She is doing the Stars on Ice show in Beijing in September, so maybe we’ll hear reports there.

 

[rosewood]

On the THE ICE thread @YukiNieve posted a report from Nagoya show and she said Mirai's program was introduced as her new short program. She thinks it was Cher's Bang Bang. It made me more confused about which music(s) Mirai is using for her new SP.
https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-5-in-aichi-nagoya-japan.104199/#post-5392745

We are not sure about the music yet but anyways I think I can safe to say that Mirai has a new competitive program!

Ahhhh I just got that "Kill Bill [OST]" which people reported from THE ICE Osaka show means Bang Bang. So, twitter reports from Osaka show were probably right. I mean probably Mirai's new SP starts with Bang Bang and it's followed by Rama Lama later in the program.

 

[GullyGirl84]

Mirai's doing the Sun Valley show this Saturday. Maybe we'll see a report.

Also taking this opportunity to correct where I stated above that the SOI show this September will be in Beijing-it's actually in Shanghai, sorry about that.

 

[Sylvia]

Also taking this opportunity to correct where I stated above that the SOI show this September will be in Beijing-it's actually in Shanghai, sorry about that.

Link to the SOI in Shanghai GSD thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/stars-on-ice-show-in-shanghai-china-sept-16-2018.104228/

I don't believe this link this was ever posted here (her spoken words edited into an essay for TODAY on July 26): Olympian Mirai Nagasu on struggling with self-acceptance as a figure skater
Excerpt:

But failure is inevitable. If I could, I would tell my younger self not to be so afraid of it because we’re going to fall down at some point. Especially in our sport, we fall every single day! Running through our programs, we’re going to fall. Although we strive for perfection, it’s really impossible to achieve every day. <snip>
One of the reasons I love figure skating so much is because words are a powerful tool to communicate a message — but figure skating is a way to portray a message. The art and visual is what really speaks to me.

Both she and Adam spoke to TODAY on behalf of their "work with DSW and their latest campaign, which is all about inspiring self-expression." Adam had some nice words to say about Mirai in his TODAY essay:

What I value most about my friendship with Mirai is that she’s somebody I can always rely on; somebody I can say anything to without any sort of judgement. I'm able to speak my mind and say things that are really bothering me and I know I'm talking to someone who I can trust. As I get older, I see how rare and lucky I am to have a friend like her.

 

[Sylvia]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnDtREdnYj0/?taken-by=mirainagasu

So I don’t know if you know this but @teamusa athletes don’t receive any federal government support which is unlike most other countries that have government funded sports programs. Instead, we rely on private donations to pursue our athletic dreams. Yesterday I had the opportunity to thank the local clubs of America who took a huge part in raising money for #destinationpyeongchang and who helped us bring home an Olympic medal. Thank you for helping us achieve our dreams and being part of the foundation that supports us!

List of clubs that hosted a Destination PyeongChang Smucker's Skate-a-Thon: https://www.facebook.com/usfigureskating/photos/no-one-gets-to-the/10155458991531342/

And for National Dog Day 2 days ago: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm-GmKbHGQy/?taken-by=mirainagasu


ETA that the 2 clubs Mirai visited in New Jersey were Princeton SC and Hollydell FSC: https://www.instagram.com/p/BnE0KUCg6P0/?taken-by=usfigureskating

 

[giselle23]

Did anyone else notice that, during the broadcast of the US Nationals ladies gymnastics, Mirai was among the athletes featured in the Team USA promo? It was the shot of her celebrating her 3A skate at the team event.

 

[Spun Silver]

I happened upon this little recent interview where Mirai says she has started training again and will be training the 3A!
https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/v...riple-axel-jumps-on-return-to-figure-skating/

 

[Sylvia]

I happened upon this little recent interview where Mirai says she has started training again and will be training the 3A!

@Frida80 first mentioned this interview in late July (I believe it was filmed at the ESPY awards in L.A. back on July 18): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...return-to-olympus.103245/page-28#post-5390203

I came across a Mirai mention in this CNBC article: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/03/under-armour-and-dwayne-johnson-top-celebrity-endorsements-list.html

A list produced by research company Spotted and published Friday rates celebrity endorsements out of 100, taking into account factors such as public perception, whether the star's audience overlaps with the brand's in terms of age, gender, income and location, and how risky a celebrity's behavior might be.
...
The top 15 celebrity endorsement deals in the fashion and retail industries
...
11 DSW (footwear) and Mirai Nagasu (Olympic figure skater) – 91.4

I found this upcoming NYC event posted on Mirai's official website:
Mirai and Adam Rippon will celebrate their DSW partnership by hosting a meet & greet at the DSW store at 79th Street and Broadway in New York City on Saturday, September 8 from 1-4 pm. Come enjoy sips, bites, and photos with them at this free public event.

 

[GullyGirl84]

https://markets.businessinsider.com...ork-fashion-week-on-september-11th-1027468411

According to the article linked above, Mirai will be a celebrity guest/walk in the Tumbler & Tipsy fashion show on September 11th during New York fashion week. Its designer, Michael Kuluva, is a former figure skater, and I know that he’s worked with Mirai and other skaters in the past.

 

[Sylvia]

Mirai wore a Tadashi Shoji gown on the Oscars red carpet so it's only fitting that she attended the his show at New York Fashion Week yesterday (documented in her IG stories). Trivia: She sat between DWTS' Peta Murgatroyd and soccer star Alex Morgan (documented in their IG stories).

ETA her photo with the venerable designer: https://www.instagram.com/p/BncN1vIn6VT/?taken-by=mirainagasu

 

[mag]

ETA her photo with the venerable designer: https://www.instagram.com/p/BncN1vIn6VT/?taken-by=mirainagasu

That dress!! Both cut and colour are perfect for Mirai.

 

[Sylvia]

I like Mirai's red pantsuit that she wore at the DSW event yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/BnekKUmHTso/?hl=en&taken-by=mirainagasu

https://twitter.com/fsonline/status/1038814619664560128

 

[GullyGirl84]

http://www.justjaredjr.com/2018/09/...su-keep-it-fierce-harpers-bazaar-icons-event/

Here are some pictures of Mirai and Adam from the Harpers Bazaar Icons party last Friday night.

Mirai was leaving NYC yesterday per her Instagram live, so maybe she won’t end up doing that fashion show written about in the Business Insider article I posted the link to. Edit: Never mind. She was leaving on a plane on Sunday, but it looks like she’s back already.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

This interview between Mirai and Frank Buckley was charming. Mirai comes across as the intelligent, thoughtful person she really is.

https://ktla.com/2018/09/26/frank-buckley-interviews-mirai-nagasu-olympic-figure-skater/

 

[GullyGirl84]

I feel like a lot of these interviews just ignore that Mirai is a two time Olympian. He spent a lot of time on her Olympic "comments" and the "controversy" and did not say anything, as far as I remember, about her going to the Olympics and coming in 4th in 2010. It made me a bit sad to hear Mirai say that she watches the team event performance and sees a lot of things that she could have done better, she keeps talking about "tripping" before the axel in these interviews, and it makes it sound a lot worse than what it actually was.

It sounds like Mirai is in the same place she has been in terms of not knowing what the future holds for her, skating or otherwise. It was nice to hear her say that Tom Z is her favorite coach because he was the first one who listened to her.

Also, for those who don't know, Mirai did end up doing the show during NYFW (click through the gallery linked below and you will see a few pictures of her).

https://fashionweekonline.com/tumbler-and-tipsy-by-michael-kuluva-spring-2019-new-york-fashion-week

 

[Firedancer]

New interview with Mirai about struggling with self acceptance: https://www.today.com/style/olympic...s-self-acceptance-t134111?cid=sm_npd_td_tw_kh

 

[Sylvia]

New interview with Mirai about struggling with self acceptance: https://www.today.com/style/olympic...s-self-acceptance-t134111?cid=sm_npd_td_tw_kh

Thanks! I remember reading this essay earlier in the summer but I just checked and the link was never posted in this thread. The article was updated on Sept. 17 when Mirai was named as one of "the 2018 TODAY Style Heroes, the actors, athletes, activists, artists and more who inspired us the most this year": https://www.today.com/style/2018-today-style-heroes

I really liked what Mirai wrote in this Instagram post earlier this month: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn8HDCznAKd/?taken-by=mirainagasu

 

[kalle]

Does anybody know if she has any new program choreographed should she decide to compete later in the season?
There has not been many on ice videos on her instagram (comparing to last season) so I wonder if she perhaps is shifting focus towards school and other events outside the skating world..
Personally, I would like her to compete again if she still has some motivation and it is always tough as a fan when a skater decides to start a new chapter in their life!

 

[Frida80]

Does anybody know if she has any new program choreographed should she decide to compete later in the season?
There has not been many on ice videos on her instagram (comparing to last season) so I wonder if she perhaps is shifting focus towards school and other events outside the skating world..
Personally, I would like her to compete again if she still has some motivation and it is always tough as a fan when a skater decides to start a new chapter in their life!

This is from The Ice in August. Some people one Twitter were saying that this is suppose to be her new SP.

https://youtu.be/d5p_LN7iNEU

 

[Jarrett]

I hope not but thanks for the video anyway.

 

[GullyGirl84]

She did this program (+ her Wicked program) at SOI Shanghai too. Not my favorite, I actually like her Wicked program more...I find the song extremely grating, but it's clear that Mirai gets really in to it.

From what she said in this last interview, I'm not sure that we'll see her at nationals this year, since she didn't really give any updates other than a "maybe I'll come back" on her status, unless she's keeping her cards close to her chest. Strangely enough, when she was asked about the next Olympics (another thing for these interviewers...they always seem surprised by this answer when she says she won't be there, do they know how rare it is for female skaters to make it through three Olympic cycles??). She said that she wouldn't be at the next Olympics, but then she, I think said, that she just didn't think she would make it to the next Olympics with new girls coming up. And then she said something like "I guess that I should never say never!". I would imagine that the longer one takes off, the harder it is to come back. I did like how Mirai said in her conference call (I think it was her pre-Olympic one) that she hoped that Gracie would come back.

 

[rosewood]

This is from The Ice in August. Some people one Twitter were saying that this is suppose to be her new SP.

https://youtu.be/d5p_LN7iNEU

I fully understand this program is not everyone's favorite one, but I really like Mirai in this program. She looks alive. I mean I feel she's really enjoying skating this one. So I wish she'll keep this program as her SP if she makes a comeback. And I feel this one is actually fun.